Tension at Capitol: Man Arrested with Weapon Sparks Security Scare
WASHINGTON — US Capitol Police arrested a man with a firearm near the north entry point to the grounds of the complex on Monday.
No identity was immediately shared, but the area was briefly shut down while police investigated the incident.
Firearms are not allowed on Capitol grounds.
It’s the second incident of its kind this year. In February, a Georgia man had charged at Capitol Police officers while carrying a loaded shotgun, demanding that he needed to “talk to a member of Congress.”
Carter Camacho, 18, had parked his Mercedes SUV near the Capitol building before rushing “several hundred yards” and being apprehended by police. He was wearing a tactical vest, gloves, and camouflage-style clothing.
A Kevlar helmet was also found in his vehicle.
The arrest occurred just days before President Trump’s State of the Union address in March.
Some lawmakers’ staffers have also been detained for possessing guns, including most recently the chief of staff to Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), who was charged for attempting to carry a pistol into the Capitol.
The staffer, Luis Vega, was hit with two counts for bringing the unlicensed firearm along with him as he tried to move through a security screening checkpoint in December 2025.
Kevin Batts, who works security for Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), was arrested in March 2025 for also trying to enter the Capitol while carrying a pistol that lacked a license. Those charges were later dropped.